Texas Tech University’s Fiber & Biopolymer Research Institute, in collaboration with the Lubbock Cotton Exchange, will host the 44th session of the Texas International Cotton School from August 4-14, drawing professionals from across the globe to the High Plains for an intensive examination of the U.S. cotton industry.
The two-week program offers a broad view of cotton’s complex value chain, with particular attention to the agricultural, technological, and commercial practices unique to the region. Participants will engage in classroom sessions, technical lectures, site visits, and hands-on training aimed at deepening their understanding of the fiber’s journey.
This year’s curriculum offers a multidisciplinary approach, spanning cotton breeding and biotechnology, sustainability practices, fiber properties, textile processing, and the evolving landscape of global cotton markets. Lectures will also delve into international arbitration, trade finance, cotton insurance, and government policies affecting the industry.
Highlights of the 2025 program include:
- Field to Fiber, Fiber to Yarn, Yard to Fabric
- Breeding Strategies, Production Systems, Cottonseed Biotechnology
- International Market Promotion, International Arbitration, Trade Finance, Cotton Insurance
- Precision Agriculture, Sustainability Issues, Pima Cotton, Cotton Ginning & Classing, Bale Selection
- Fiber Properties & Measurements, Contaminants, Textile Chemical Process, Yarn & Fabric Properties
- Marketing Topics - Cotton Economics, Futures & Options, Contracts, Government Programs and more
Participants will tour key facilities that form the backbone of the region’s cotton infrastructure, including:
- Bayer CropScience Global Cotton Headquarters
- USDA Cotton Classing Office, where cotton is evaluated using High Volume Instrumentation
- Farmers Compress, one of the world’s largest storage and shipping hubs, with 2.2 million bale capacity
- Area farms that showcase diverse cultivation methods, from dryland to precision irrigation
CONTACT: Noureddine Abidi, Associate Dean for Research and Fiber & Biopolymer Research Institute Director; Texas Tech University at (806) 834-1221 or noureddine.abidi@ttu.edu
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